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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Baseball Preseason Press Conference With Mike Bianco
2/13/2006 | Baseball
Feb. 13, 2006
- Ole Miss Head Coach Mike Bianco's comments from his preseason press conference:
First of all, thanks for being here. We're excited, as it seems like a lot of people are, for the season to get started. We practiced outside yesterday in the weather. A lot of people joked that since it snowed that it seems like baseball weather. I differ in opinion because Stuart Lake, one of our assistant coaches that does the scheduling, knew it was going to snow and that is why we didn't start this past weekend, but rather next weekend, when it is supposed to be 65 degrees and beautifully sunny. We are excited, as are the players and the fans. Of course the coaches are excited to get back on the field. As it has been mentioned, we have sold over 3,300 season tickets, another school record. I believe it is the fifth time in six years here that we have broken a season ticket record. I know that the players are excited that on opening day, there will not be a reserve seat available by sale. I'm sure you can find one from a no show on Friday at 3:00. I do want to mention that season tickets are still on sale. The family package and the general admission seats are still available, so by no means are we sold out. We are just sold out of reserved grandstand seating.
It seems like a just a couple of weeks ago I was asked the same we get asked every year at this time, referring to statement that I have made the four previous seasons that they might be the most talented team that we have ever had. I said last year at this press conference there might be a day where we are going to say that. Maybe this is the day, but let me clarify that a little bit, in that last years team was so unique. We had so many players of high caliber, so many kids with experience. So many kids that so many people around the country knew and respected. Guys like Mark Holliman that was an All-SEC candidate, All-SEC first team the year before...guys like Stephen Head, who was the National Freshman of the Year, and the season before that was the reigning SEC Player of the Year. We had a slew of pitchers that had experience and had been drafted before, position players that had been in postseason. It was just a tremendous team. A team that eventually set a school record of 48 wins, won the SEC Western Division Championship, hosted a regional, hosted a super-regional, and were a game away, literally a base-hit away, from getting to the College World Series last year. A lot of those individuals that I mentioned and some others were drafted last year in the Major League Draft. Eight of them to be exact, and we had five juniors drafted in the first seven rounds of the draft, the most of any team in the country, and eight players overall, which was more than any team that I have ever been associated with. So certainly, we were very talented. So when I say that at this point, February 13th, it is hard to say that at point we are as talented as last years team. But this is February 13th, and we know that this is a long season, and that this team will have the chance to make it's own name, and this group of players to make their own records. Certainly, this team has some tremendous players.
The first one that comes to mind is Chris Coghlan. A preseason All-American, he is on the Wallace watch list for the national player of the year. He is up for the Ferris Award, which is given to the best baseball player in the state of Mississippi. In the first two years of that award, we had Stephen Head and Brian Pettway respectively win that award. Guys like Mark Wright, who is a preseason All-American and preseason All-SEC candidate. Guys like Alex Presley and so on. So we are returning some players, so don't be surprised when run out on the field on Friday. Don't be surprised at the starting lineup on how many kids we do have that have experience and played last year in either a starting role or in some capacity that was an integral part of last seasons success and what we did on the field. Add to that the number ten ranked recruiting class, and I think we are a team that will have to find it's own niche and personality, but a team that like many of it's predecessors, will no doubt compete for an SEC Championship and ultimately compete for a National Championship. We think this club has what it takes to win and get to Omaha.
Now what I do is go around the field and go over some positions and tell you what we think so far. One name that I have already mentioned and will start at third base is Chris Coghlan. He is a two-year starter already in his third year. He might be the best thirds baseman in the country all around. Defensively, offensively, he is just a tremendous talent. A kid that just continues to get better and is on a lot of preseason watch lists, and receiving preseason accolades. Last year, Chris hit .360 and ended up leading the Cape Cod Summer league this past summer, which might be the most prestigious collegiate summer league in the country, at around .350.
At shortstop, a Freshman All-American last year Zack Cozart returns. We are looking for him to have another tremendous year.
At second base, Justin Henry, who was selected this fall as the team captain by his peers. He will start at second base. He played a little designated hitter, a little outfield, and some infield for us. But second base is his more natural position and I think he will do an excellent job for us.
At first base, we have C.J. Ketchum, who will start on Friday. C.J. last year was our first player off the bench as a pinch hitter, hit around .400. Probably would have started at first base for most teams in the Southeastern Conference, we just had a pretty good first baseman already there. But we look for C.J. to do a great job defensively.
Behind the plate, Justin Brashear. A high profile recruit a couple of years ago, was drafted out of high school. Justin has been with us for two years, but was behind our team captain in Barry Gunther. He is ready and anxious for his time to shine as a starter.
In right field, our starting right fielder this year will be Mark Wright, a preseason All-American. A guy that fell under the radar a little bit in post season accolades just because of the amount of players that we had. But Mark had a tremendous year and at times was our most consistent player. However, Mark will not be playing in the first three games. He will be suspended for the first three games, which will be Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The reason is that he broke some team rules over the past summer and his punishment will be that suspension. After Sunday's game, I believe his punishment will be over. He will start Tuesday against Samford. I think it is a good chance for our team to put some others in the lineup. I don't think it will affect the team on bit because they have known about this for awhile. It is something that we are handling internally, and the players have been asked, and I hope that you would respect that we not talk about it. This is an internal matter, and we would like not to talk about it. I would appreciate it if you would respect that and that's my wishes. We are done with it, we are handling it inside the program, and there is really not an issue to deal with. Mark will be back in the starting lineup on Tuesday.
In center field, Alex Presley will start. Alex was a Freshman All-American a couple of years ago. Really got off to a great start a couple of years ago, but last year just got beaten out by Miles Franklin, a senior. But he still had a lot of at bats and still played a lot for us last year, hit over .300, and I know he is anxious to get back in that starting role.
In left field, right now it looks like Jon-Jon Hancock will start for us. The corner people are some positions that are up for grabs. Mark Will start in right on Tuesday. This weekend, Cody Overbeck will probably start on Friday, but other guys to look for in those corner positions are Logan Power, Brett Bukvich, Jon-Jon Hancock, and Alex Kliman. All of those guys will get a chance to be the designated hitter as well. We will try to decide as we get more information on Saint Louis, we will try to decide the best matchups as far who to play against right-handed pitchers and left-handed pitchers.
On to the pitching staff, Friday night's starter will be Tommy Baumgardner. Tommy was one of those guys that had an integral part of our success last year and has been the most consistent and most dominate pitcher this fall and spring. He had a terrific fall and a hot spring already. He has 12 strikeouts and no walks in three outing already, and really has done a superb job and really has become a leader on this staff. He is one of the few seniors we have on this staff and we feel is really ready to step into that Friday night role. Saturday's starter will be Nick Hetland. Nick is a junior college transfer out of Clarendon College in Texas. Again, one of the more consistent pitchers we have had over the fall and spring. He is right-hander that will throw the ball in the upper 80's. Good curveball, good change-up. Sunday's starter will be freshman Cody Satterwhite. Cody, like Nick and Tommy, has had a great fall and early spring. Cody might be the most talented pitcher that we have ever had this early in his career. An overpowering fastball that is in the low 90's, slider in the low 80's, and a change-up. He is very athletic. He is a guy that could have easily been drafted in first couple of rounds this past June, but chose to come to school and made his choice known to pro scouts. Therefore, his signability dropped and he dropped in the draft. I think he was drafted somewhere in the 37th round by the Cleveland Indians. I think he was the most talented freshman to walk out on the field this spring.
Rounding out the staff, Lance Lynn, another high-profile freshman from Indianapolis, might the first guy in on Friday, along with Garrett White, a junior college transfer from San Jacinto Junior College in Texas. Stoney Stone, a senior from last year, is one of the guys that will give some stability on the staff as far as experience and leadership role with this staff. Other guys to look for, Jesse Simpson, a junior college transfer that literally got here just a few weeks ago, Brett Bukvich, who will continue our dual position pitcher/position player along with Jon-Jon Hancock, Craig Rodriguez, a big left-handed pitcher from Pearl River Community College, and of Will Kline, who is another pitcher with experience in the program.
Q: Who is your closer?
A: Right now, we don't have a closer. You guys kind of know my theory and the joke that that has been the most asked question at a press conference for a baseball coach. Really, the realistic answer is that we think Lance Lynn or Garrett White for the first couple of weekends. Because as talented as we think they are, either one of them could start and may eventually start, but early, they kind of fit those roles. They are power guys that fill up the zone with the ball. They like to challenge hitters and have a lot of the attributes you like in a closer. One of the things that they add to the role is that Lance and Garrett have been starters. I know you guys have called Stephen Head our closer, but really he was the first guy that came in with the game on the line. He would come in the sixth, the ninth, or maybe even the fifth. There are not too many closers that do that. Our system, usually it is a guy that you can look to close out the game, not just come in and pitch the ninth. This first weekend we will look to Lance and Garrett to combo that role.
Q: With losing the long ball hitters like Pettway and Head, do you expect the personality of this team to change?
A: Yes, no doubt. I think the team changes from year to year, even with the returning players from last year. Even though we return a lot of kids from last years club, we have some new kids and I think this team has to find itself. There are different roles for different guys. Coghlan has been a tremendous player, but now his role is different. We still want him to be that type of player, but we want him to be a leader as well. Offensively, this club has played great in the fall and spring. We are not far off from last year as fall statistics.
Q: What are your thoughts on Nick Hetland?
A: To, be honest, he has just been one of the most consistent guys in the fall, and that is what we are looking for. We want a guy that when we gets the ball gives you the best opportunity to win. It's not velocity, or an array of pitches, but the guy that gives you the best opportunity to win. Right now, we feel Tommy is our best shot, and Nick is our second best shot. But this the first weekend, and we will have to juggle things around as time goes on. Not just because of injuries, but for performance as well. Last year, we didn't count on any pitcher more than Eric Fowler, and he wasn't even a starter in the first weekend. He was one of many relievers that was scheduled to pitch, and might have been the most consistent starter the last month of the season.
Q: Do you see Lance Lynn playing any more positions?
A: No. he just going to pitch. Again, he is a very good pitcher and was drafted in the sixth round by Seattle. Got off to slow start in the fall, but has come on with a fury these last couple of months. So he is going to play a big role. Now what that is? He won't be a starter on the first weekend, but maybe a starter down the line. But he going to pitch in some capacity this first weekend.
Q: How have you seen Tommy Baumgardner improve?
A: In a lot of areas. Tommy was one of the forgotten guys last year because he was the middleman. He either came in real early. He was guy that would sit down and then loosen up, then have to sit down again. It is a tough role to fill but you need that guy. This year, being a starter, you can see he is much more confident than in the past. His velocity has improved, his breaking ball has improved, even his command has gotten better. He has just been the most dominant guy we have brought out there.
Q: What do you see in Chris Coghlan that excites you the most?
A: He is just a ball-player. He is just a pure hitter. He has hit in every league he has played in. Defensively, he has improved from his first year. His first year, he had never played third base, so he struggled a little bit, but he worked hard and last year you could the improvement, and this year I think he gotten even better. I think a lot of people know who Chris Coghlan is, even with the high profile players gone, with all the preseason accolades, I think a lot of people around the country already know who Chris Coghlan is.
